Conclusion

We have examined just some of the remarkable technology and science platforms that comprise the biosciences today. This chapter focused on biology-based technologies. Table 3.2 lists other bioscience technology platforms, many of which we discuss in later chapters.

The key message is that many promising technologies exist, with new ones emerging yearly. We conclude by highlighting some of the most remarkable accomplishments of the past few decades in the biosciences, with much more to come in the next few decades.

• Researchers have sequenced a variety of genomes from humans, chimpanzees, mice, rats, fruit flies, and many bacteria and viruses as well.

• Scientists have cloned various mammals from mice, cows, goats, pigs, and sheep, to horses, deer, dogs, and cats, and they have attempted to clone human embryos for the purpose of stem cell production (therapeutic cloning). However, “reliable” cloning remains elusive, and human cloning is banned in most countries on ethical and moral grounds.